A Father's Gift

As much better as it would be, I don't own Naruto. A couple of the concepts come from Better Left Unsaid by Kenichi618 and Seals: Cause of His Damnation and Salvation by CrazyLuffy though they won't show up for a couple chapters.

Chapter 1: Sealing and Precautions

October 10th

The Kyuubi no Kitsune (Nine-Tailed Demon Fox), a force of nature said to be able to create tsunamis and cause earthquakes with a single swipe of its tails. A creature that had just been torn from the seal holding it within Uzumaki Kushina, a seal that was weakened by when she gave birth to a beautiful golden-haired baby boy. A creature that had been released in a state where it was being controlled by a masked man who had kidnapped the boy to force the Yondaime Hokage (Fourth Hokage), Namikaze Minato, away from where his wife had just given birth.

After saving his son from the explosive tags covering Naruto's wrappings using his Hiraishin no jutsu (Flying Thunder God Technique) to get him to safety, Minato used the Hiraishin marker integrated into the seal that was being used to reinforce the weakened jinchuuriki seal to teleport himself to Kushina in time to save her from the freed Kyuubi. As Minato took Kushina to their son, the masked man used a teleportation technique to move just outside of Konohagakure no Sato (the Village Hidden in the Leaves) and summon the Kyuubi and forcing it to attack in the hopes of destroying Konoha.

With Minato

After using a Time/Space barrier to transport Kyuubi's Imari (Menacing Ball) away from Konoha he was forced to fight the masked man and the strange jutsu he used to make himself insubstantial and suck things into a void. After engaging in a battle of speed, he realized that the masked man's jutsu kept him insubstantial until the second just before he attacked. Using one of his Hiraishin Kunai thrown just ahead of him so that it went through the masked man's head just before he started to attack, Minato formed a Rasengan (Spiraling Sphere) and teleported himself to the kunai before slamming the Rasengan into the masked man's head.

Lifting the masked man up, Minato began to use his skills in Fuuinjutsu to free the Kyuubi from the man's control.

"A Keiyaku Fuuin (Contract Seal), are you trying to break my contract with the Kyuubi?" the masked man exclaimed.

"Now the Kyuubi will no longer be yours to control." Minato replied calmly.

"No wonder you are the Yondaime Hokage. I'm impressed, you were able to wrest control of the Kyuubi from me, but no matter. I will have the Kyuubi in my power once again. This world is mine; there are many means available to me." The masked man said as he was sucked into a vortex coming from his only visible eye.

'I get the feeling that he wasn't lying…' Minato thought before using his Hiraishin to return to top of the Hokage Monument.

Arriving back on top of the Hokage monument, Minato could see the Kyuubi a short distance outside the village slowly advancing against the resistance of the shinobi under his command.

Using his Hiraishin again he quickly returned to where his family was resting to prepare a jutsu that could save the village… at the cost of his life.

Seeing Kushina still awake, Minato quickly started speaking "Kushina, the Kyuubi is still attacking, I'm afraid there is only one thing I can do: Seal it away."

"But where no who will you seal it into?" Kushina asked.

"Naruto" Minato replied sadly, "How could I ask someone else something I wouldn't be willing to do myself?"

"No!" Kushina shouted. "Take me, I will seal it back into myself then commit suicide. That will at least disperse it for a time."

"While that might work, we have to think about the future. That man will return, by sealing the Kyuubi into Naruto we will give him the power he will need to fight back against him."

"But what will happen to Naruto when the village finds out he has the Kyuubi sealed within him? You have to realize that it will get out, especially if you plan to use the Shiki Fuujin (Dead Demon Consuming Seal), neither of us will be around to protect him" Kushina asked quietly, seeing her husband's point, but not liking it.

Minato paused thinking 'She's right, with the destruction that the Kyuubi is causing, there is no way someone won't leak this out. But what if I use that time release storage seal to give him what he will need to learn to survive? No that won't be enough… Gamabunta… limit sensory based gravity seal… No still not enough… But then what? If only we could be there to help him… That's it!'

Forming a cross-shaped hand seal with the index and middle fingers of both hands, three Kage Bunshin (shadow clones) appeared. "One of you go get the supplies we will need from the house, beginner books and up, all of them that he might need. The second start on the time release storage seal on his right hand, three month intervals set to start one week less than a year after the activation of the summoning seal give it a hand seal combination for the more advanced stuff, make sure it is reusable once it is emptied, and place a limit sensory gravity seal on his left shoulder. And finally, the third start preparing the summoning seal while I summon Bunta" he said before turning to Kushina as one of the clones disappeared in a yellow flash. "Kushina, can you still make a Kage Bunshin (shadow clone)?" Minato asked.

"Yes" Kushina answered with a very confused look.

"Good create one; I will seal it along with one of mine into Naruto's mindscape with a Hakke Fuuin (Eight Symbol Seal). They will be in stasis, at least until he can generate enough chakra to maintain the Kage Bunshin himself, then a mind summoning seal will activate drawing him to the part of the mindscape where we will be. Unfortunately, even with the Kyuubi's presence bolstering his reserves, that probably won't be until he is four or five. So to make sure he will be safe and hopefully happy until then, I will need Bunta's help." He said before the third clone tapped his shoulder.

"Boss, the summoning seal is ready; we just need some blood from Bunta to finish it." The clone said.

"Good, start working on the modifications of the Hakke Fuuin and the chakra sensor activation seal, make sure Kushina's clone is activated first, he will need a mother before a father. Also, make sure it is a one-time thing that activates when he goes to sleep, we don't want him to lose consciousness in the middle of the day or something, and make sure that it can store up to two days of chakra in case he ever gets chakra exhaustion and a preservation function so we our clones can't be destroyed by something simple like getting hugged to tight or if we train him. I'll be right back as soon as I get Naruto to sign the contract and get Bunta's blood." Minato ordered before turning back to Kushina once again. "With this once he has enough chakra to maintain your clone he will be drawn into his mindscape and meet you. This will have the added benefit of draining him to a point so his chakra reserves grow."

"That… OK let's do it" Kushina replied.

Moving back to Naruto he addressed his clones. "Can you guys pause for a second?" Receiving a nod from both clones, Minato picks up Naruto and leaves the house to summon Gamabunta.

Biting his thumb he makes a series of hand seals and slams his palm on the ground shouting: "Kuchiyose no jutsu (Summoning technique)". A giant dull red toad comparable in size to the Kyuubi, wearing a navy blue vest and carrying a dosu blade at his back appeared right below him, lifting him high into the air.

"Gamabunta-sama, I'm going to need your help." Minato said to the giant toad.

"Kyuubi, huh?" the toad muttered as he looked into the distance. "Anyways, how many times have I told you just to call me Gamabunta! So what's the plan?"

"I'm going to seal it away into my son." Minato said sadly.

"WHAT" Gamabunta bellowed.

"You heard me; I'm going to seal it into my son. It will cost me my life and Kushina is already dying after the Kyuubi was ripped from her… I'm afraid that he will be in danger and friendless because word that he is the new container will most likely get out. Could you help me out?" he begged.

"Hmm, sure make him sign the contract, my son Gamakichi is about the right age" Gamabunta said before another toad appeared, carrying a large scroll.

Minato took the scroll from Gama, the keeper of the summoning contract, and opened it up before cutting Naruto's right thumb and using it to sign 'Namikaze Naruto' in the first free column and then leaving a handprint in blood at the bottom of the scroll. Then wrapping the cut up, he handed the scroll back to Gama and said "Thank you, Gama, you can take the scroll back now" before turning back to Gamabunta.

"Gamabunta, I'm making a seal that will automatically summon a toad on his third birthday but I need some of your blood to make the summoning tattoo, is that OK?"

"Sure kid, I'll even waive the chakra fee until he turns six, how does that sound?

"Thank you very much Gamabunta."

Holding up his right hand, Gamabunta replied "No problem, take some blood."

Minato complies, taking out one of his Hiraishin kunai he makes a small cut and lets some of Gamabunta's blood drip into an ink bottle, before jumping off of his head and running back into the house to place Naruto back in Kushina's arms then giving the ink bottle to the clone making the summoning seal.

Seeing the third clone back he said "Do you have everything?"

"Yes boss" one of the clones replied.

"Good, start on the time release storage seal on his right hand; remember three month intervals after he turns four. The second clone, finish the summon seal and then finish the modified Hakke Fuuin and seal whichever of you hasn't used any chakra and Kushina's clone and get it ready to sealing the Yang portion of Kyuubi's chakra, be very careful with the filter and healing portions. Whoever finishes first take two soldier pills and dispel so I can recover some chakra, I'm going to need it" Minato ordered.

"Yes boss" all three clones said as the original turned back to Kushina.

"Kushina, get your Kage Bunshin ready, I'll be right back with the Kyuubi" Minato said gently as he turned back to Gamabunta.

Getting back on Gamabunta's head, the pair rushed toward where they can see the Kyuubi in the distance.

Just as they neared the battlefield, they see the Kyuubi start to charge another Imari.

"Hurry up Gamabunta, we don't have much time!"

"I'm on it kid!" Gamabunta replied as he dashed forward and tackled the Kyuubi, preventing the attack from being completed.

"Stall him for just a minute while I prepare, it is going to take a lot of chakra to transport something this size."

"No problem, but don't waste any time, this guy is toug… AHH" Gamabunta let out a roar as one of the Kyuubi's tails left a huge gash over his left eye.

"Gamabunta are you OK?"

"Yeah."

"Good, here I go" Minato shouted and with that both he and the Kyuubi disappeared.

Outside the House, with Kushina and Naruto

Appearing outside the house where he left Kushina and Naruto, Minato fell to one knee.

'Shit, that stunt used almost all of my chakra, I have to get a barrier up…'

As he thought that the Kyuubi turned and started moving toward him, only to be stopped as chains appear out of nowhere and pin it to the ground.

"Thank Kami you are still alive, is everything ready, including the precautionary measures?" Minato asked, turning to Kushina only to see her leaning on the side of the building with Naruto in her arms and blood pouring from her mouth

"Yes Boss" the remaining clones reply before dispelling.

"Well then, before I start, just know that I love you and Naruto more than my life itself and goodbye…" Minato said to Kushina before picking Naruto up and turning back to the Kyuubi and starting to make hand seals.

"I love you too" Kushina whispered back.

Back at the battlefield with Sarutobi Hiruzen

As soon as the Kyuubi disappeared along with Minato, Hiruzen turned toward where he could still feel the Kyuubi's presence. Seeing it in the distance, Hiruzen took off, running as fast as his old body could move.

As he crested the top of the Hokage Monument a few seconds later, he saw the Kyuubi pulled to the ground. Drawing nearer he saw chains holding the Kyuubi and whispered to himself "Kushina" before redoubling his speed once again.

Coming within sight of Kushina and Minato he saw a spectral figure behind his successor and the Kyuubi manage to lift one paw and strike at a baby lying on the ground. Realizing what was going to happen, he started running again, knowing he won't be able to arrive in time to make a difference.

With Minato, Kushina, and Naruto

Making the nine hand seals necessary to activate the Shiki Fuujin and call the Shinigami to rip out the Kyuubi's soul, a spectral figure appeared behind Minato. Mentally directing the Shinigami to separate the Yin and Yang portions of the Kyuubi (seeing how the Kyuubi possesses too much chakra to seal it all), a spectral hand reaches through him, causing him soul-deep nearly unbearable pain. The hand stretches toward the Kyuubi who redouble its struggle to escape upon seeing the figure.

Just as the Shinigami grabs the Kyuubi's soul it manages to free one paw and strike at what has the symbols that signify it was slated to be the Kyuubi's new jailor.

Seeing the danger both Kushina and Minato rushed forward, interposing themselves between the Kyuubi and Naruto, stopping the paw and giving Minato enough time to finish drawing out its soul and the Shinigami to split it, the Yin (dark) half to with him into the Shinigami's stomach and the Yang (light) half to be sealed into Naruto.

Summoning Gamatora, a rare scroll toad, Minato shouted "Fuuin" placing the key to the Shiki Fuujin and the sealing was complete. Minato collapsed to the ground still holding Naruto with the three whisker marks he was born with on each cheek.

Seeing movement out of the corner of his eye, he wills himself to stay alive just a little longer. As Sarutobi moved closer, he breathed a sigh of relief knowing it is someone he could trust.

"Sarutobi… sorry you ~cough~ will have to take the hat again… Take him ~cough cough~ Uzumaki Naruto… he is a ~cough~ Hero. ~cough cough~ beware ~cough~ masked man ~cough cough~ sealing." And with those last words to someone he trusts Minato died leaving Hiruzen holding a crying Naruto, the Shiki Fuujin still glowing red on his stomach. One dying and the other preoccupied with baby Naruto, neither of them noticed a shinobi standing in the nearby trees.

Two Days Later, Council Chamber

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the professor, and the former and reinstated Sandaime Hokage (Third Hokage), sat in his chair at the head of the council table with a golden-haired baby in a crib next to him wishing he could just kill the civilian council and stop the headache they were causing.

"Kill it! It is just a monster" screeched one of the newer members of the civilian council, one Haruno Saki.

"SILENCE" Shouted Hiruzen, adding a moderate amount of killing intent to make sure everyone shut up. "This child is not a monster; he is a hero who the Yondaime chose to carry a very heavy burden and his name is Uzumaki Naruto."

"Yeah right" spat another member of the civilian council, a fat merchant this time.

"It must be killed" shouted several others, the shinobi half of the council and the elders looking at the civilians with disgust.

"I thought I said SILENCE" the Sandaime said, increasing his killing account.

"Then how about you give him to me, I will mold him into a weapon for-" One of the elders, a crippled man with his right arm in a sling, his right side of his face and eye covered by bandages, and a x-shaped scar on his chin.

"You will do no such thing Danzo. In fact if you even suggest it one more time, I don't care how important you are or how highly placed, I will kill you myself. If I even hear about you or one of your men coming in contact with him you shall suffer the same fate. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR!"

Backed into a corner but cursing the Sandaime in his head the scarred man could only answer "Crystal Hiruzen".

"You will address me as Hokage-sama is that understood?" the Hokage rebuffed, raising his killing intent even higher, seeing something in Danzo that set him on edge.

"Yes Hokage-sama" Danzo replied, now intimidated.

"I still say we should kill it" shouted one of the stupider civilian councilors.

Hiruzen turned to the civilian council and raised his killing intent once again, causing several of them to lose consciousness.

"The Uchiha clan will take him in" stated Uchiha Fugaku in a nearly emotionless voice, though the greedy glint in his eyes set Hiruzen on edge.

"No, I cannot allow any of the clans to take him in as it will destroy the power balance in Konoha. No, as much as I would like to take him in that includes even my clan, he will have to be placed in an orphanage. And seeing as word has somehow gotten out about his burden, as of this moment it is illegal on threat of death to even speak about to this matter to anyone who doesn't already know with the exception of myself, Jiraiya, and Naruto himself. As of this second, his status as a jinchuuriki is an S-class secret, am I understood?" The Hokage declared with iron in is voice.

"Yes Hokage-sama" everyone in the council chamber answered.

"Also if I hear of anyone causing harm to Naruto, it will be even worse. Death will still be the penalty, but it will be a long time coming at the hands of T&I, is that clear?"

"Yes Hokage-sama" everyone in the council chamber answered again, this time honestly scared.

"Now on to more pressing matters… Shikaku, how are our defenses?" Hiruzen asked Nara Shikaku, the Jounin Commander of Konoha.

Lifting up his head the Jounin answered "For the moment, they are surprisingly good considering how much damage we took. I have as many people as can be spared shoring up the defenses and the parts which can be easily fixed are being repaired as we speak. Thankfully it will take time for any spies to get word to their respective countries so by the time any offensive action could occur we will be in much better condition, thus it is unlikely that we will have to worry about any further attacks at the moment" then returned his head to the table.

"Good. Hiashi, how did your clan fare?"

"Relatively well, Hokage-sama. We did suffer several losses and several members went blind due to the intensity of the chakra but we will recover" Hyuuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuuga clan answered.

"I'm glad to hear that. How about you Fugaku?" Hiruzen continued.

"The attack was a mixed blessing, I'm afraid. We suffered a good number of losses but the sheer amount of killing intent caused more members of my clan to awaken their sharingan then at any other time in recorded history" Uchiha Fugaku reported.

"How about your clans Tsume, Inoichi, Shikaku, Chouza, Shibi?"

"The Inuzuka clan took moderate losses." Tsume replied promptly.

"The Yamanaka clan took some losses but less than others due to the focus generally placed on our clan's mind jutsu." Yamanaka Inoichi answered succinctly.

"The Nara clan is in a position similar to the Yamanaka due to the ineffectiveness of our shadow jutsu on a being of the Kyuubi's strength" Shikaku replied lazily, not even lifting his head off of the table.

"The Akimichi clan took slightly more severe losses due to the usefulness of our clan jutsu on the frontlines." Chouza said.

"We suffered moderate casualties trying to syphon the Kyuubi's chakra and trying to weaken it, but like the Nara and Yamanaka clans we of the Aburame clan found our techniques to be ineffective and managed to avoid more serious damages" Shibi answered in a monotone voice.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that casualties were not as bad as I feared. I'm afraid that I will have to call an end to the council for today; there are other pressing issues I must attend to. Councilors in charge of Defense, Infrastructure, Commerce, Utilities, and those representing the city structures, I expect damage reports, expected repair costs, expected repair time, issues, injury and death toll reports on my desk by tomorrow morning" Hiruzen said as he stood and picked up Naruto then left the council chambers.

The Hokage's Office

Finally making it to his office, Hiruzen placed Naruto in another crib and sat tiredly in his chair before rubbing his eyes and muttering to himself. "I'm too old for this shit."

Leaning back in his chair for a moment, Hiruzen thought about what to do with Naruto before suddenly sitting up in his chair and calling out to what appeared to be thin air.

"Inu."

A young man with a dog marked mask appeared in front of the Hokage and bowed. He appeared to be around 15 years old, though you couldn't be sure due to the mask, and had gravity defying silver hair. The mask signified that he was part of ANBU, some of the most skilled shinobi in the village.

After the young ANBU straightened up, the old Hokage signaled the rest of his ANBU guards to leave the room and activated the privacy seals in the room to ensure their conversation would not be overheard.

"Kakashi, you can remove your mask for a moment" Hiruzen said.

"Yes sir," Kakashi replied and took off his dog mask revealing a face covered by a cloth mask that covered his face until just below his eyes, but strangely his left eye was covered with his leaf hitai-ate.

"Please take a look in the crib and tell me what you think," Hiruzen commanded.

Kakashi moved over to the crib and examined Naruto for a minute before turning back to the Hokage and looking at him with a questioning expression in his one visible eye. "Is… Is this…?" He said, stumbling over his words.

"The container for the Kyuubi, yes" Hiruzen said with a patient expression.

"No sir... is he… Sensei's… Is he Sensei's son?" He finally finished his question after several pauses.

Hiruzen glances at him sharply, studying him intently before speaking again. "What would you do if he was, my boy?"

"Hokage-sama? What do you mean? I would protect him even if it cost me my life," Kakashi answered quickly with absolute conviction.

"Very good, I'm glad to hear that. The answer is yes, he is Minato's son, and could you imagine him forcing this burden upon someone else? However, there must never be a word about this. He wouldn't last a day if it did. Do you understand?" Hiruzen asked demandingly.

"Yes sir," Kakashi said after thinking for a moment. "Assassins from Iwa (Stone) sir."

"Exactly, possibly Kumo (Cloud) too" The Hokage said. "If this ever got out he would not last a week, he will already be in enough from our own people we don't need professionals at it too. Anyway, he will need protection if he is to survive. I want you to choose and five others that you trust, not with this information as it is an SS-class village secret but with his safety, to guard him in three shifts of two. This assignment will last at least a month or two as I expect the worst of the trouble to occur in this time. Understood."

"Yes sir,' Kakashi replied with a sparkle of hope that was previously absent back in his eye.

"And Kakashi," the Hokage continued, "If anyone tries to harm your new charge, Uzumaki Naruto, they are to be taken directly to T they will be tortured to death. If it comes up send a shadow clone to remove the offender, there must always be to guards, it that clear?"

"Yes sir" Kakashi replied sobered by the Sandaime's seriousness.

"Good, go find the five other members of your team and report back. After that he will be taken back to the Natal-care ward at the hospital. He will probably stay there for the next two or three months, until things have calmed down, then he will be moved to the orphanage."

"Sir, can I -" Kakashi started but was cut off by the Sandaime.

"As much as I wish it was possible, there are three reasons it is not" Hiruzen started as he held up three fingers. "One, you are too young" he said as he dropped one finger, "two, it would be too suspicious if you did. His only remaining student adopting a baby… that is just asking for trouble. And three is the same reason I had to give Fugaku."

"Fugaku!" Kakashi exclaimed in surprise.

"That was never going to happen, but the reason I gave is still valid. You are the last member of a minor clan and Naruto becoming a member would throw the balance of power within Konoha out of control, that doesn't even bring the fact that every member of the civilian council would block it if it was a non-clan member. Trust me, if I could allow it, I would. Unfortunately, the orphanage is the best of bad choices," Hiruzen finished explaining. "You are dismissed."

"Yes sir" Kakashi acknowledged, turning to leave as Hiruzen deactivated the security seals.

A/N: OK everyone; this is the first chapter of the first Naruto or any other fanfiction I have ever written. Please tell me what you think, REVIEW.

I know there was quite a bit of the political stuff there at the end; I promise there won't be that any more of that for a while. Next chapter will be a three year timeskip and we will find Naruto in the Orphanage.

This concept came up when I was reading another story where his mother survives, which happens somewhat often but you hardly ever see a father survives (if the Kyuubi attacks), and technically he still doesn't. But then was reading 'Seals: cause of damnation and salvation' when this popped back into my head and just wouldn't stop popping up.

Oh, and if anyone can think of a better name, tell me. I just couldn't think of a better name.